The creation of a thousand forests is in one acorn. ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
Yes. I know I often quote Emerson, but I was reminded of those thousand forests this afternoon when my puppy drug in the largest acorn I think I have ever seen.
Sorry. No adorable puppy photo. But I was able to save the acorn cap to measure and photograph. It got me thinking about the bur oak tree… And how a long-time friend, Tamara, says that the bur oak tree is the “oakiest” of all the oak trees.
Indeed. It has the largest acorns.
Quercus macrocarpa – The bur oak’s latin name. Macrocarpa means “large fruit” in Ancient Greek. (Photo below is a slight exaggeration.)
It has the largest leaves.
The roughest corky bark.
And. Truly. If the creation of a thousand forests is contained in a single acorn, then a million forests must be contained within a bur oak acorn.
Someone’s sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago. ~ Warren Buffett
I have read mixed reports of the bur oak’s rate of growth, but from personal experience, I would rate it as a fast grower.
We have two bur oak trees on our suburban lot. One planted by the developer 25 years ago and the other planted by a squirrel 15 years ago. Both trees now tower over our house. (Photo above and below.)
Trees are poems that the earth writes upon the sky. ~ Kahlil Gebran
The bur oak, which in the white oak family, is native to much of the United States, including North Texas. It is sometimes appropriately called “mossycup oak.” (See photo below.)
Bur oak trees can reach 100 feet tall and live to around 200-300 years old.
The care of the Earth is our most ancient and most worthy, and after all, our most pleasing responsibility. ~ Wendell Berry
November 1st is Arbor Day in Texas, so plan now to plant a shade tree so future generations can sit in its shade and wax poetically about forests and acorns.
Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my apple tree oak tree. ~ Martin Luther
the melodious garden 